


Honey and Darling

by DonCorneo



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Genre: Dialogue Heavy, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-10
Updated: 2016-03-10
Packaged: 2018-05-25 20:25:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6208867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DonCorneo/pseuds/DonCorneo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Link sets the record straight on his relationship with Peatrice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Honey and Darling

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published in January 2014.

My name is Link.

When I was young, I had some pretty unbelievable things happen to me; my best friend, Zelda, was kidnapped, and the whole world almost fell into darkness. The ancient evil, Demise, was freed from his prison by a madman named Ghirahim, but I was able to defeat them both and seal Demise into the Master Sword, where he still sleeps.

But you probably know about that already - my early exploits became the stuff of legend, and my writings about them have been copied and copied and are still being taught to children at a young age. I don't need to tell that story again. No, the story I'd like to share with you today is not of the trials I faced saving my best friend; it is the story of everything else. The moments between trials, between dangers, between adventure. For it was in these moments that I came to know and love the woman who would one day become my wife, and the mother of my children.

It may shock you to learn that this woman was not, in fact, my dear friend Zelda, as so many scholars believed and continue to believe. If this truth displeases you, then you may, if you wish, reject my reality. There are many truths, after all, and who is to say that your truth is any more or less true than mine? I urge you, if it gives you comfort, to continue believing that your king was a passionate young man who faced death and despair in the name of romance, and who reclaimed his one and only love from the depths of peril. If that is the hero you would prefer to remember, then by all means, let that be your reality. Our realities need not be the same. As long as evil sleeps, I will happily be remembered as any hero that my kingdom sees fit. But I would still like to share my reality with you, if you'll hear it. And all the better if you'll choose to believe it.

My reality involves a brave young man who faced death and despair in the name of justice; a man who braved the depths of peril to reclaim not his lover, but his closest friend. All the amazing adventures I had, all the amazing things I accomplished in my lifetime, I did not because of love, but because it was right. Because nobody else would. Because nobody else could. This is not the story of a young man who was driven to adventure by love. It is the story of a young man who was driven to love by adventure.

And this story begins, as fate would have it, on the same day as my most famous adventure. It begins, as fate would have it, in the same way.

My bird was missing.

It was the day of the Wing Ceremony, and my loyal friend and companion, the Crimson Loftwing, was missing.

I had to find him. I was tearing through Skyloft looking for clues. I guess I wasn't thinking straight, because I barged right into her house without knocking.

She was sitting at a desk in the back of the room, alone. She had her chin in her hands and let out a big sigh. It was then that I realized I didn't know her name. Isn't it funny how you can live in the same town with somebody your whole life, see them every day, and never learn their name? I knew she worked at the Item Check, but, as much as I wracked my brain, I realized I didn't know even one other thing about her.

She hadn't seen me come in. She was staring off into space and let out another giant sigh. I tried to make some noise, some gesture to show her I was here, but I froze in my tracks when she started mumbling to herself. I didn't catch all of it, but she said something about wishing there was somebody special out there who she could share a beautiful love with.

I winced. I'd just overheard something awfully private, and she didn't even realize it. I cleared my throat and tried to ask about my bird, but she cut me off, furrowing her brow and lazily tilting her head towards me. I'll never forget what she said:

"Uhh... Hey, buddy, do you mind? Do you always just walk into people's houses without asking permission?"

I felt my cheeks get hot. Why did I just barge in here? I was pretty upset about my bird, sure, but... enough to have forgotten my manners so completely? I didn't have an answer for her. I was speechless.

She must have noticed, because she didn't stop there.

"Ever heard of banging your knuckles against the door? It's called knocking. Barging into someone's house is what most people call... rude."

My face got even hotter; I had to be as red as my loftwing. I was furious, I mean, she didn't have to give me such grief about an honest mistake, but... She was right! I couldn't think of a single thing to say. All I could do was change the subject.

"Sorry," I stammered. "I, uh..."

"Anyway," she said, not even paying attention. "You're lucky I'm home. I'm usually over at the bazaar working at my stall, but we're closed for the WIng Ceremony."

"Uh... right," I said. "You work at the, uh, Item Check, right?"

"That's right," she said. She rest her cheek on her fist and took a lazy, sidelong glance at me. "Most days at work, all I can think about is how bored I am. But now that I'm not at work, I'm even more bored!

I let out a nervous chuckle. "Well, maybe it's a good thing I came by, then."

She rolled her eyes and went back to staring off into space. "I guess," she said. "So what'd you want?"

What was this girl's problem?

"Sorry to bug you," I said, putting some bite into my voice. "But, uh, I'm actually in the Wing Ceremony, you see, and my loftwing is missing. You know, the red one? Have you seen it anywhere?"

"Sounds pretty serious," she said, not looking up. "Wish I could help, but, sorry. Haven't seen it."

I let out a big sigh of my own. This had been a giant waste of time; all I'd accomplished was making a big fool out of myself. I thanked her anyway and left, thoroughly embarrassed. I kicked myself for exhibiting such lousy manners to a girl I barely knew, but I had bigger things to worry about, and I put it out of my mind pretty quickly. 

I found my bird soon enough - a lot happened in the next 24 hours. I won the Wing Ceremony, lost Zelda, found the Goddess Sword and my guide, Fi, set foot on the surface for the first time... but of course, you've read all about this before. As I said, this story isn't about my adventures. It's about the moments between.

Very soon I realized that the surface was a dangerous place, and I wasn't as prepared as I needed to be. So I went back up to Skyloft to get some supplies. I had completely forgotten about my embarrassing encounter with the Item Check girl by this point, until I walked in the bazaar and saw her sitting there with her chin in her hands.

Well, she wasn't lying; she did look awfully bored. I snuck past her and bought a few things from Rupin's shop, hoping that I could avoid having to talk to her. But... of course, I didn't have enough room in my pouch. I took in a deep sigh and steeled myself. I tried to convince myself that it would be good to start fresh, get off on the right foot this time. She caught sight of me strolling up to her stall and leaned her head to one side.

"Oh, hey, burglar," she said, completely shattering any chance that this wouldn't be the most awkward conversation ever.

"Hello," I said, gritting my teeth. "I'm... sorry about-"

"Hello," she sighed. "And welcome to the Item Check."

She gave me a sales pitch that she'd obviously had to memorize from a card at some point, and she delivered it in such an earnest deadpan that I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Well," she said, narrowing her eyes and putting on a faint smile. "Glad someone's entertained. So is there anything in your pouch or in storage that you want to move?"

I gave her the odds and ends that I'd bought and she thanked me and said goodbye. I thanked her, said goodbye, and walked away, sighing to myself that that wasn't as bad as it could have been.

But then I heard her calling after me. "Hey," she said, "Try not to break into any houses today."

I scrunched up my face, feeling my cheeks burning. Oh, she would pay for that.

A half-dozen helpful weapons and items later, a day or so had passed, and I traipsed back up the Item Check counter. She'd been staring into space again, so she hadn't noticed me until I was practically on top of her. I rapped on the wooden counter with my knuckles and put on a smug grin. "Hello," I asked, purposefully over-enunciating. "May I please make use of your stall?"

She furrowed her brow and leaned to one side, resting her cheek on the back of her fist, but she couldn't hide the wry smile forming on her face. She rolled her fingers on the countertop a few times, playing dull, hollow notes on an imaginary piano. "Was that so hard?"

I bit my lip and laughed through my nose. "I have some things to store," I said.

"Wonderful," she said, sounding not the slightest bit excited. "So what do you have?"

I reached into my pouch and pulled out a wooden sign; I had stumbled on it in Eldin forest and cut it down with my sword, specifically for this moment. She blinked a few times before reading it aloud.

"...No entry."

I smiled. "Maybe that'll help with your burglar problem," I said.

She exhaled a large breath through her nose and started to turn a pale pink. "What's with you?! Leave me alone if you don't want anything."

I couldn't help but laugh. She turned away to hide her blush. "I'm busy staring at a wall, " she said.

We teased each other this way for a while; every time I'd stop by, she'd have a new nickname for me, always relating to my "crime" - and somehow, they grew increasingly vile over time; at first, there was "burglar" and "crook" and "thief," but soon those became "villain" and "assailant" and "peeping tom." I'd bring her meaner and nastier items to store; tumbleweeds, monster claws, large bugs... until finally, one day, right in the thick of my adventure, I had come shuffling up to the counter, dead tired from a harrowing fight with a tremendous beast. I just wanted to store the medals I had found and head straight to my room for some much-needed sleep. She looked them over and shot me a smug look.

"What, no creepy lizard tails or hornet larvae today?"

Tired and wounded as I was, it took me a second to process what she had said. "Hmm? Oh, no, not today... Sorry..."

She rolled her eyes. "Tsk, tsk," she said. "And I thought what we had was special."

I laughed, which made my ribs ache. "How can I ever make it up to you," I said, my voice laced with sarcasm.

"...You're Link, right?"

I took in a sniff and blinked a few times. "Sorry?"

"That your name?"

"Oh," I said. "Uh, yeah. And you're, uh..."

"Peatrice."

"Right! I knew that."

She leaned against her fist and put on an odd half-smile. "No you didn't."

I opened my mouth to voice an objection, but, again, she was right. I really should have asked somebody before we got to this moment. It's funny - I had been to see Rupin and Gondo and Luv and Bertie so many times before I even left Skyloft, that I knew them all by name - their services were so useful in everyday life - but I never really got to know Peatrice until I suddenly found myself carrying lots of things over great distances.

"Okay," she said, sounding like she wanted me to leave. "Thank you. Come again."

I bade her a nervous goodbye and retired to my room in the Knights' Academy. I fell face-first onto my bed, and I'm pretty sure I was asleep before I even hit the sheets. I slept the whole night through.

I returned to adventure the next day, collecting odds and ends to help forge a stronger shield. I brought the items to Gondo that afternoon and waited for him to fix up my current shield. I glanced at Peatrice on the other side of the wall - staring off into space, as usual - and approached her.

"Hi," I said.

"Oh, hey," she said, barely moving. "This is the Item Check, but I bet you're just here to check me out, right?"

I couldn't help but laugh. This girl was pretty full of herself if she thought that's why I kept coming back. Not that she was ugly or anything; she was just exceptionally plain, which I suppose was why she never really stuck out to me over Zelda or Karane or Orielle. But now that I was interacting with her regularly, I found myself oddly drawn to her acerbic sense of humor. I thought I even detected a hint of self-deprecation in her question, so I decided to play along. "Is it that obvious?"

To my surprise, she smiled and her cheeks began to glow. "Well, don't make a habit of it," she said, looking away.

I shook my head and chuckled. "No promises," I said, walking away.

A few days later, I caught her staring into space again, and announced my presence with a subtle clear of my throat.

"Hey, welcome to the Item Check," she said, not looking up. She did a double take when she saw me standing there. "Oh, It's you again..."

"Well, don't sound so happy to see me," I said.

She looked around and drummed her fingers across the countertop. She was acting strange, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. It seemed almost as if she was waiting for me to say something. I wasn't sure what to say, though, so all that got out was "Umm..."

"You've been coming by a lot recently," she said, speaking loudly and quickly. "You're pretty much the only one who comes by regularly, actually..."

I raised an eyebrow. "Yeah...?"

"Hey... wait a second," she said, looking anywhere but at my eyes. "I don't suppose... You don't come by here just to see me, do you?"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes," I said, deciding to play along yet again. "It's true."

"What?! Really?!"

My eyes went wide. She had caught me completely off-guard, squealing loudly and almost falling out of her seat. She seemed so... happy. So genuine. I knew then that the paradigm had shifted between us. This was no joke to her, not anymore. She had asked me an honest question and I had thought she was being her typical sarcastic self. Without meaning to, I was leading her on. In that moment, I thought I had made a grave mistake... but looking back, it was one of the smartest answers I gave in my life.

She sat back down and cleared her throat, turning away from me to hide her bright red cheeks. "Yeah, right," she said. "You think I'm gonna fall for that old line?"

Her voice was shaking. Though she put up a valiant effort, she couldn't hope to hide how ecstatic my reply had made her, and, in fact, she seemed to realize this herself, because the next words out of her mouth were...

"But... if that were true, it might be kind of nice..."

I felt myself turning red, as well. I remember looking closely at her face, or what I could see of it then, turned away as it was... I remember studying her bushy eyebrows and narrow eyes, and her pointy nose and her beauty mark... I had thought her plain before, but looking at her then, I found myself wondering how I had never noticed such striking features as those. Maybe she wasn't as classically beautiful as Zelda, but... at that angle, in that light, smiling and glowing as brightly as she was... I saw at last how cute she was. My heart was beating faster than usual, and it seemed like the sidelong glance we shared lasted an eternity before she sprung up and sputtered out another sentence. "Oh! I almost forgot... I still have a job to do... Do you have something for me to hold onto?"

In truth, I had forgotten why I approached that counter that day, so I fumbled around in my pouch and handed her my spare bomb bag, just to save face. We shared an awkward goodbye and I sped off, wondering what had just happened. Though I didn't realize it then, I had already fallen for her.

I lay in bed that night, unable to sleep. I dug around in my pouch, where I had a handful of Dusk Relics: small, purple jewels that I had managed to procure from otherworldly ordeals I had faced. Without really thinking, I tied two of them together with twine so that they formed the shape of a heart. This distracted my mind enough that I was able to finally fall asleep.

Days passed, and our conversations grew more awkward, though not any less frequent. Finally, she could hardly get a sentence out. "Oh, I, uhh... W-welcome," she said.

"What's wrong?" I said.

She was shifting her weight and avoiding my gaze. "Um... Nothing," she said. "There's nothing wrong." She began to speak more and more quickly as she went on. "It's not like, 'Oh, hey, that guy's back! I'm so happy!' or anything like that..."

I bit my lip. Seeing her struggling to keep it together was too much, and I was finally beginning to realize that I had feelings for her, as well. I was already aware of the fact that I was fabricating reasons to stop by the Item Check; I was joking, at first, when I told her that I was coming just to see her, but now I knew that was the truth. And I think, by that point, she knew it, too.

She lowered her head and began to whisper. "But... If you think about how often we meet, you have to admit that our relationship has gone beyond employee and customer, you know?"

A huge smile broke across my face. "You think so?"

"Oh, no," she said, blushing furiously. "I didn't mean to... what am I saying?! Please... forget everything I just said, okay?" She started taking deep breaths, tugging on the corners of her shawl and belt. "Okay," she said, sighing through pursed lips, "Get it together... Be professional..."

I closed my eyes and buried my nose in my palm, laughing to myself. She was just too much. I was head over heels.

"Do you have anything you want me to hold on to?"

"Yeah, I do," I said, digging through my pouch. I produced the heart I had fashioned out of Dusk Relics. "Take good care of this," I said.

She clapped her hands over her mouth and squealed. Then, trying to play it off, she lowered her hands and spent a good few seconds trying to figure out what to do with them, threading her fingers together, holding her elbow, resting them on her hips... The whole show was adorable. "O-of course," she finally said, snatching up the heart. "Come again..."

The next time I saw her, she was holding the Dusk Heart in front of her, staring at it, blushing and smiling. I couldn't help but blush and smile myself as I approached.

"Oh..." she said when she noticed me, dropping the Dusk Heart and letting it clatter to the counter.

She jolted off of her stool, standing up and clasping her hands together. "You... you came to see me!"

I tilted my head back, taken by surprise. "That's right," I said, laughing nervously. "You, uh... You like that heart I gave you?"

"You make me so happy," she said, laying her hands on her heart as she gasped for air. "I think I'm going to keel over..."

"Whoa there," I said, reaching for her elbow. "Don't do that..."

She put both of her fists in front of her chin, hiding her mouth, but I could still see her blushing behind them. She looked me right in the eyes for the first time in a while. "You don't think... could this be..."

My heart skipped a beat. "Yep," I said, before even thinking. "It's love."

She threw back her head and let out a delighted squeal. "Ahhh! I can't believe you just said it out loud!"

To be honest, neither could I. That loaded word, that powerful, heavy word that could forever change or even ruin friendships... It had slipped out of my mouth so casually.

"It's so embarrassing," she said, staring at the floor.

I gave her a reassuring smile and she instantly shot back upright, bouncing and swaying with joy. "Whoops! Kinda forgot myself there. Back to work!"

She closed her eyes and gave me the brightest smile I'd ever seen on her face. I could feel my stomach swelling, tingling, like it were full of butterflies.

"Now, where was I," she said. "Oh, yeah! I was going to ask you if you wanted me to take care of you forever..."

Again, my words betrayed me and jumped out of my throat before I could even dwell on them. "Yes, please," I said.

She gasped. "Really...? That makes me so happy..." Her eyes closed for a moment, then shot back open. "Oh no! I am SO sorry!"

Puzzled, I raised one eyebrow. I opened my mouth to speak, but she continued. "I need to learn how to keep these delirious dreams in check..."

My heart sank. Being in a relationship with me was a delirious dream? Why? Then I realized - Zelda and I were such close friends, that much of the Knights Academy assumed we were dating. Could she have thought the same...?

"No, wait," she said... "Ahh! I mean, are there some items you want me to check? ...Darling?"

This time, I was the one to gasp. At her last word... my heart soared once more. I had gone from "burglar" to "villain" to "that guy" to... "Darling."

"No, thanks," I said. "...Honey."

She smiled wide and made a heart shape with her fingertips. "Look, hon, it's not humane to tease someone this bored. Knock it off, okay?"

I gave her a smile of my own and nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

As my adventure continued, my Honey continued to be overjoyed to see me whenever I stopped by the Item Check. She would stand up and make her fingers into a heart shape, and I would reciprocate. She would giggle and say things like "I hope you're not in a hurry to go, sweetie!" and I would say, "Who would be in a hurry to leave you?" One day, when she asked if I wanted to store anything, I leaned over the counter and whispered to her. "Yes, I do. Come here."

She turned red and leaned toward me. We leaned in closer and closer, her breath growing heavier and heavier, until finally I gave a swift peck on the lips. I could see her knees buckle as she swooned. "Ahhh! I can't believe you just did that..."

"I'll need that back," I said. "Take good care of it."

"Of course, Darling," she said. "I'll pay it back with interest..."

As time went on and I forged the Goddess Sword into a stronger and stronger blade, I stopped by a small island northeast of Skyloft where Peatrice's father, Peater, practiced his blade on a growth of bamboo that could be found there. He was a pot-bellied, balding man, and I had stopped in a few times to test the sharpness of my own blade before I realized he was actually Peatrice's father. Now that I had in my possession the so-called "Master Sword," I wanted to see if the blade lived up to its name. When I entered the clearing, though, I could see Peater was not himself.

I waved to him and he stood up straight. "Howdy, Link! I was hoping I'd run into you."

This caught me off-guard, and I wasn't sure how to respond. Did he know about Peatrice and I?

"Is this about your daughter?"

"Sure enough is," he said. "You're as smart as a bullwhip, aren't you?"

Not sure what that meant, I could only nod and laugh nervously.

"Yep," he said, "the shinin' star of the Item Check is the source of my problem. That's my darlin' daughter, in case you forgot."

"Heh... I haven't forgot," I said.

Peater took his sword in his hand, carefully eying the blade. "She's been out of sorts, lately," he said. "She'll be sittin' and starin' off into yonder, and then she'll get redder than a tomato on the vine."

I pulled in my cheeks. "Hmm," I said, swallowing.

Peater's eyes bulged out of his head. "Wait just a gosh-darn minute! I know what's goin' on!"

I could feel my heartbeat increasing. Peater seemed incredibly protective of his daughter - did he not approve of me?

"My sunshine's got herself an unwanted admirer!"

I blinked a few times, feeling the weight on my shoulders deflate somewhat.

"Not that I can blame the feller," he went on, "She's as sweet as honey and twice as pretty as a spring flower! No- Three times as pretty!"

I let out another anxious chuckle. "She is," I said.

"It's no wonder the boys buzz around her like a swarm of amorous bees!"

"Uhh..."

"But I won't stand for it!" He held up the back of his blade with his free hand, showing me the blade itself. "No way, no how! I'm gonna find the rascal and give him a good whuppin'!"

I scratched the back of my neck. This was getting more awkward by the minute. "Um," I said, clearing my throat. "Are you so sure it's-"

"You gotta help me out," said Peater. "You see anyone buzzin' around my little flower, you give him what for and send him packin'. I'll keep my peepers peeled, too, but I can't stand watch all day long."

I shook the disbelief out of my head and gave him my best enthusiastic nod. "O-of course," I said. "You can count on me."

He gave me a big grin and a subtle nod. "I promise I'll make it worth your while. You chase the varmint off, and I'll let you chat with the apple of my eye."

I had to stifle a laugh. "Uh... Peater..."

"Hush! You don't have to say a word. I can see how you feel by the spark in your eye. There's not a feller alive who wouldn't jump at this chance!"

I agreed to his terms and hurried back to the bazaar. "Hi, Honey," I said, approaching Peatrice. She stood up and wiggled around, hiding her smile behind her fists.

"Hello, Darling!"

I leaned in over the counter. "Can I have that kiss back, please?"

She leaned back, which made me worry that I had done something wrong. "Umm... I, uhh..."

My eyes filled with dread. I opened my mouth to speak, but, as was becoming commonplace, she spoke first. "I want you to visit me at my house tonight," she said, speaking very quickly. "I have something I need to say."

I felt my face and my heart sink. I wanted so desperately to ask if something was wrong, and to tell her about the conversation I'd had with her father, but all I could manage to say was "Okay..."

That night, I could feel my heart pounding through my chest as I marched over to Peatrice's house. I reached for the doorknob... and laughed quietly to myself. I knocked on the door, this time, and waited for a moment. Peater answered the door.

For a split-second, I feared the worst, but he greeted me with a smile. "That you, Link? What seems to be the problem?"

I didn't know what else to say. "Uh... I'm here to see Peatrice," I said.

He sighed and opened the door further. "My baby girl's as restless as a twisted sheet in the wind. Is there somethin' in the water?"

I produced a nervous chuckle and shrugged. "I... don't know," I said.

"C'mon in." He stepped out of the way and I stepped inside his home. And there, at the desk in the back, where I had first spoken to her, was Peatrice, resting her chin in her hands in the very same way. It dawned on me that it had been over a month since then; I could hardly believe it had been that long. It seemed like only days. Zelda had been in peril for a whole month?! I closed my eyes. That was far too long. I had to bring this to an end. I tried to shake the cobwebs out of my head, and looked back at Peatrice. When she saw me, she stood up and hid her chin behind her fists, bouncing with delight. I smiled and stepped towards her, eying Peater cautiously as I headed toward the back of the room. He sat down in a chair and gave me the evil eye, but I was undeterred.

"Hi," I said, not sure if it would be appropriate to call her 'Honey' in this context.

"Link... You came to see me."

I couldn't help but melt, hearing her call me by my real name. It was only the second time she'd ever done it. I loved her little nicknames for me, but... something about hearing my name from her set me at ease a bit.

"Thank you," she said. "The truth is... there's just something I'm dying to get off my chest, Link."

I swallowed and braced myself, having no idea what she was about to say. "Okay," I said.

She stared straight into my eyes, lowering her hands a bit so I could see her mouth. She wore a very serious expression, and laced her fingers together. "I'm just going to ask you something point-blank, okay?"

"Okay..."

"What do you think about me?"

I breathed a sigh of relief. Was that all? "I like you," I said.

She took in a gasp and the corners of her mouth curled into a small smile. "You do? Really?! You're not lying?!"

"Really!"

She gave way to a huge, blushing smile, and let out a delighted giggle. "I'm so happy! I feel like I'm in a dream... I have to hear it again just to be sure!" She leaned close to me, threading her fingers together, look very much like she was praying for the right answer. "Do you really, really, really, like me?"

"I do!"

She recoiled, breaking eye contact and fiddling with her thumbs. "You're not lying, are you?" She closed her eyes, looking like she was about to cry. "I don't know what I'd do if I found out you were lying..."

I hunched over and sighed, hurt that she thought I would ever play a trick like that. "It's true!" I said, reaching for her hands. She pulled them away, which hurt even more. I looked to her face for answers, and she gave me a reassuring smile and a coy giggle. "Thank you," she said, barely able to contain herself. "I love you so much, Darling! I'm sorry I doubted you and put you through all that questioning..."

"I love you too, Honey," I said, leaning in to kiss her. But again, she withdrew. Why was she being so evasive?

She turned a bit, hunched over, and shot me a shifty, sidelong glance. "...But I understand your true feelings. Better than you know."

My face fell. "What do you mean? Are you talking about Zelda? Honey, I-"

I paused just long enough for her to jump in.

"You're saying that you cannot give yourself over to love just yet," she said, "That you have much more important things to do right now. You have some kind of serious job you have to attend to first, right?"

I let out a tremendous sigh and stopped to think. "Yeah," I said. "I... Zelda's been in trouble for much too long. I... I have to set things right."

Peatrice nodded. "If you weren't off on an adventure, you probably wouldn't need to come by the Item Check so often... And that's why I won't ask any more of you. I'll just watch over you, protecting you from afar, keeping a vigilant eye on your items. And when your important work is done, we'll tell my dad we're in love!"

I glanced over my shoulder at her father, who was facing away from us, glancing over his own shoulder. I know he couldn't have made out every word, but he had to have picked up some of it...

"Until then," said Peatrice, "we'll keep our love secret!"

I looked back at her - her warm smile, her soft face...

"Darling," she said, "I... I'll see you again at the Item Check."

I looked back at her father. I had so much I wanted to say... could I do it in front of him? Would it anger him? Or worse, would it anger Peatrice?

My heart skipped a beat or two. I took a deep breath and swallowed my doubts. "No," I whispered. I saw her eyes go wide and continued. "I won't keep it a secret. I can't. I... I love you."

I took her by the wrist, drawing a loud gasp out of her. "Honey," I said, my voice shaking, "I know things have been kind of crazy lately... I haven't been able to give you the attention you deserve. I'm sorry for that. But I promise, as soon as I save Zelda and set things right... I'll come back for you. And when that happens..."

I could hear her father's chair creaking as he turned to look closer at us. I didn't care. I was going to do this here and now.

I dropped to one knee. Peatrice clapped her free hand over her mouth, silencing an even deeper gasp.

"...Will you marry me?"

To my delight and horror, her knees gave out and she collapsed onto me, hugging my neck for support. I braced myself to support her thin frame, and I could hear her father standing up and rushing over to us. He appeared in my peripheral vision, laying a gentle hand on his daughter's back.

She laid her wrist on her forehead, her whole face glowing red and her breath growing heavy. "Ahh... Daddy," she said, "I'm... I'm sorry, I..."

Peater shot me a quick death glare, then returned his gaze to Peatrice's blushing face. "Don't mind that, now, sweet pea - Link here's waitin' on an answer!"

A squeal of a gasp escaped her lips, and she pulled her arms tighter around my back. "Yes," she said, "Yes! Of course, Darling!"

I pulled her close and we shared a deep kiss.

She really did return it with interest.

Peater closed his eyes and sighed, standing up to give us space.

When we finally did break from the kiss, I noticed an enormous gratitude crystal floating above her head. Chuckling to myself, I wiped her tears from her face and helped her stand up. Without letting her out of my embrace, I looked to her father. He hung his head. "Bamboo slivers," he said. "My darlin' daughter's got herself a feller!"

I opened my mouth to speak, but he interjected. It must run in the family...

"And you, Link! Why did I ever put my trust in you? Any more brains and I'd be as smart as a tree stump. Oh my goodness gracious... What am I supposed to do now?"

"I'm sorry, Peater," I said, wearing an apologetic frown. "Really, I am. I meant to tell you, I just..."

"Got a ring?"

I winced. I had no such ring. That was the consequence of acting so impulsively: I had dove head-first into this moment completely unprepared for it.

Peater rolled his eyes and groaned. "No ring?! Pah..." He ambled over to a cabinet and pulled out a drawer. He shook his head and looked back at us over his shoulder. "You sure this's the one, pun'kin?"

"Yes, Daddy, I'm sure," said Peatrice. Impatience and frustration hung on her voice. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

Peater closed the drawer and returned, dropping a small gold ring into my hand. "Here," he said, "...It was her mother's."

Peatrice let go of me and threw her arms around her father, kissing him on his bald forehead. "Thank you, Daddy," she said.

She held out her hand and I slid the ring onto her finger. It was a perfect fit. We shared another kiss and some congratulatory words. I don't remember my heart ever beating faster. Eventually, when I made to leave, Peater drew his sword. My love let out a gasp, but I stood calm. He spoke softly and with clear intent. "Don't you ever hurt my baby girl, Link," he said. "If you ever make her cry, this sword o' mine is gonna come find ya."

"Good," I said. "I'd rather die than ever make her sad."

He sheathed his blade and smiled for the first time that night. "Haa," he said. "That's what I like to hear."

Everything changed that night. I had new resolve. I wanted to save my friend more than ever, to rush back to my bride-to-be and tell her everything I had done and seen and learned.

As you well know, the world's darkest hour soon began; Ghirahim took Zelda and fled into the past, awakening the ancient evil, Demise. I was too late; Demise absorbed Zelda's soul and regained his true form. Against all hope, I stood against him. Impressed with my courage, he withdrew to a time and place cut off from reality, challenging me to prepare myself and come to face him in battle.

I knew I might not return from that battle. Against my better judgment, I returned to the present time to equip myself, and to speak with Peatrice for what might have been the last time. I spoke to her at the Item Check, withdrawing my strongest potions and shields, and she asked me if I planned to leave now. She must have noticed my wounds and my fatigue, because she insisted that I at least get some rest before I left.

I sighed, thinking that not such a bad idea, and promised her that I would. I retired to my room and desperately tried to get some sleep, steeling myself for the battle ahead, but my thoughts raged on and I was unable to find peace. After an hour or two of tossing and turning, the sun had set, and just as I was about to leave, a familiar head peeked in my window.

"Honey!"

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Darling," she said, shivering a bit in the cold night air. "May I come in?"

A blinked a few times, baffled by her request. "Sure," I said, getting out of bed. I held the wooden flap open and helped her crawl through the window.

She surveyed the scene and began to blush. "So this is your room," she whispered.

I asked her what was the matter and she began to shift her weight. "I'm so sorry," she said, "I know this is so selfish of me, but... after everything you said this afternoon, I can't help but be worried..."

I gave her a reassuring smile and rubbed her shoulders gently. "Don't be worried," I said. "I'll come back for you. I promise."

"I know you will," she said, tears welling in her eyes. "I know that, but... A part of me can't help worrying that... That you might not."

She closed her eyes and pressed herself against me, rubbing my chest through my armor. "I want to be with you. Always. And... I'm so sorry... I know how selfish this sounds, but... I just... I can't let you die without..."

I rest my forehead against hers. "Without what?"

"Without... knowing you... completely. I... I'm sorry, I know you must have so much on your mind, and it's not fair of me to ask this of you now... But... If this is our last chance..."

"It's not our last chance."

"I know... I know that... But just... if it is... Just in case... will you..."

I brushed her bangs out of her face and kissed her forehead, her bushy eyebrows tickling my chin. "...Will I what?"

Her face a burning crimson, she opened her eyes and looked directly into mine. "Will you... make love to me?"

My eyes went wide and my cheeks went hot. She looked away and clapped her hands against her cheeks. "Ahh! I can't believe I just said it out loud..."

"Honey... I..."

"I know it's silly," she blurted out, slipping into a fast, panicked tone. "And I know it's selfish! But... That same small part of me that's worried you might not come back alive... It's... I'm worried you might come back in love with Zelda instead of me..."

I took her by the cheeks and planted a passionate kiss on her lips. "It's you I love. You and no one else."

She threaded her fingers together, looking like she was praying, and looked me in the eyes again. "Then, please... humor this silly, selfish request... and... and prove me wrong..."

I licked my lips and swallowed. I could feel Fi hovering over my shoulder.

"Master," she said.

"...Not now, Fi," I said, my voice echoing off the walls of my room. In my peripheral vision, I saw Fi slink back into the Master Sword.

Peatrice looked at me, scared and confused, and let out a meek, "What...?"

I took her by the waist and pulled her tight against me. Feeling something standing beneath my tunic, she released a hot gasp into my neck.

"Let me erase those doubts of yours," I said.

I peeled off her clothes. Her soft, pale skin and her nasal, breathy moans set my heart ablaze. She had small, pert breasts, a firm, flat tummy, and wide, doughy hips. I undid her bandana and a beautiful mane of blonde locks spilled onto her shoulders. I feel terrible admitting it, but in that moment, Zelda and Demise had left my mind completely. All my doubts and regrets left me that night. Of all my adventures, of all my accomplishments... I still count the conception of my first-born daughter, Zelda, as the highlight of my long life. I kissed and licked and touched and smelled every inch of my fiancée's body, and she wrapped her thighs tightly around my back as I poured what felt like gallons of my seed into her. Hours later, when I was tired and sore and drained of my seed, I gulped down an entire bottle of stamina potion and dove into the fray once more. We made love until sunrise, completely tuning out Cawlin and Stritch and Headmaster Gaepora banging on the walls and door, yelling at us to keep it down. When we finally fell asleep in each other's arms in the wee hours of the morning, I slept like a king. No concerns or nightmares kept me up, no qualms about the future or the past kept me tossing and turning. In my lover's arms, I got the sleep I so desperately needed to prepare for the battle ahead. When we awoke sometime in the afternoon, we stayed in bed for a good hour as I told her everything about Demise and Ghirahim and what had happened in the era of the past.

Peatrice sat up straight, peering down at me. She said, "Wait," concern hanging on her face. "You came here from the past?"

"Yeah," I said, concern creeping across my face as well. "Why?"

She breathed a sigh of relief and chuckled. "Look around," she said. "Does it look like Demise has ruled for hundreds of years?"

I took a slow look around the room, blinking as I took in her words. She was right... Skyloft and the surface were both safe, exactly as they had been all along. It was as though Demise had never existed. I furrowed my brow. "But... why?"

She lay across my chest with her eyes closed, beaming. "Don't you see?! The future... er, the present... doesn't change! Demise doesn't win in the past! You... You come back alive!"

A tremendous smile broke across my face. "You... you're right!"

"I'm so relieved," she said. I could feel a teardrop land on my chest. "... You really did erase all my doubts..."

I kissed the top of her head and rubbed her bare shoulders. I said, "I told you I would."

We bathed together, washing off the layers of caked-on sweat and other bodily fluids, and got dressed. I gave her a goodbye kiss and made my way down to the surface and into the past.

I faced off against Demise with renewed confidence and soundness of mind. Despite my confidence, or perhaps because of it, he got a few solid cuts in and beat me within an inch of my life. With the last of my strength, I lunged forward and buried my blade in his heart.

So much happened after that. I was reunited with Zelda, and I lost my precious ally, Fi, who went to sleep within the Master Sword to seal away Demise's lingering power.

As Groose showed his cronies around the surface, Zelda and I had a heart-to-heart atop the Goddess Statue. She told me that she wanted to stay on the surface; to always feel the ground beneath her feet and the warm light of the Triforce nearby. And then, she paralyzed me with four simple words:

"What about you, Link?"

I told her that I would be honored to stay on the surface and watch over the Triforce with her.

But not without my wife at my side.

I told her of all that had happened, of how I came to know and love Peatrice. She could have taken the news better; she was quite upset, at first, that I had found time for dating while she was in such grave peril. Luckily, she forgave me over time, and came to love and accept Peatrice, as well. My Honey was enamored with the idea of living on the surface, and we eked out a comfortable, happy life there. When more and more residents of the sky began to make their way down to live on the surface, Zelda and I formed the kingdom of Hyrule that you so comfortably inhabit now. In the kingdom's early days, many subjects and citizens stubbornly believed that Zelda was my queen, knowing of our past together and that she lived with me in the castle. Somehow, that ended up being the "truth" that the scribes and history books preserved; some that I've read refer to Peatrice as my "concubine," but most simply don't mention her at all. I was understandably livid about this for much of my life, but she assured me that she cared not what the people thought, as long as we were together and in love. Over time, I came to not care, either, content to keep up appearances for the dull, demanding public while returning to my lovely wife at home.

But now, as I near the end of my life, I realize that I can't let my truth be forgotten. I can't rest my soul knowing that future generations will never know of the beautiful, eternal love we shared. So I beg you, dear reader, to preserve my truth. You need not overwrite the history books, as my truth need not be the truth. There are many truths, after all; ours need not be the same. You may believe what you wish... just don't let my reality be forgotten.

If you believe my words, you have my eternal gratitude. But even if you choose not to, you have my sincerest thanks for having read this far.

May the Goddess lead you to your own truth.

-Link

\------

The young woman closed the book and rest her head on the man's shoulder. "Such a beautiful story," she said. She looked up at him and smiled. "Do you think it's true?"

The man smiled back and ran his fingers through her scarlet locks. "Of course I do," he said.

The woman put her knuckle to her lips and giggled. "It's not what history says happened, though. And it was thousands of years ago... there's no way to prove that the king himself wrote it."

The man kissed the top of her head, letting his curly, brown hair fall over his ears. "Let me ask you this," he said, putting on a smug grin. "Do you think my parents would have named me after a story they believed was false?"

The woman closed her eyes. "Hmm," she giggled. "I suppose not."

"Do you think yours would?"

"Hmmhmm... No, I don't."

"Then I believe it. Every word."

The woman placed her hand on the man's chest. "Well," she said, "If you believe it, Darling, then I believe it, as well."

The man stood up, offering the woman his hand. "Shall we dance, Honey?"

"We shall," said the woman, taking his hand. Hand in hand, the two of them danced out of their home and into Hyrule Castle Town, dancing through the peddlers and jugglers and dogs and little boys in green.

"Ohh," said the woman. "You are... so handsome... Just like the King of Hyrule... Hee hee...!"


End file.
